Brooklyn, NY—Brooklyn Botanic Garden celebrates the return of spring and cherry blossom season with Art in the Garden: Spring Weekends, a series of over 60 pop-up music and dance performances presented over the course of four weekends, from April 17 through May 9, in locations spread across the Garden. And to make the most of the season—and provide a COVID-safe, socially distanced visitor experience—the Garden is extending its hours until sunset, also from April 17 through May 9.
Visitors will be able to enjoy performances by more than 20 artists including Japanese dance organization Sachiyo Ito and Company, Bombazo Dance Company, Brownstone Jazz Ensemble, and Mantra Percussion, while taking in the sights of the Garden at springtime: the renowned cherry blossoms, colorful magnolias, sunny daffodils, and more.
Art in the Garden: Spring Weekends is presented in partnership with Haiti Cultural Exchange, FiveMyles, Cumbe Center for African and Diaspora Dance, Brownstone Jazz, and the Brooklyn Public Library. All programs are free with Garden admission.
Full Schedule Saturday, April 17 1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m., 3:15 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade Sachiyo Ito and Company The Japanese dance company performs three works: Sakura, Cherry Blossom; Yanagi no Wakaba, Young Leaves of Willows; and an excerpt from Shiki no Hana, Flowers in Four Seasons. 2 p.m. | Plant Family Collection Jonathan Michel with Talie Cerin Bassist Jonathan Michel and singer Talie Cerin celebrate Haitian women composers. Presented in partnership with Haiti Cultural Exchange 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. | Osborne Garden Djembe Drumming Ministry A trio of drummers, led by Dr. Ava Jolley from First Baptist Church of Crown Heights, play West African rhythms to wake and inspire. Presented in partnership with FiveMyles Sunday, April 18 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. | Osborne Garden Afro-Cuban Dance with Tony Domenech Traditional folkloric dances, songs, and music with origins in West and Central Africa. Presented in partnership with Cumbe Center for African and Diaspora Dance 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. | Plant Family Collection Brownstone Jazz Ensemble Eric Lemons (bass), Marco DiGennaro (piano), and Dwayne Cook Broadnax (drums) play jazz. 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. | Fragrance Garden Annette Phillip & Stacey Ann Douglas with Stanichka Dimitrova Two members of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Nannies’ Fairy Tale Writing Workshops read their stories and poetry, accompanied by Stanichka Dimitrova on violin. Presented in partnership with Brooklyn Public Library Saturday, April 24 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. | Osborne Garden Masayo Ishigure & MIYABI Koto Shamisen Ensemble Spring-themed Japanese contemporary ensemble music played on shamisen and koto. 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. | Water Garden SAKAI & RINO Japanese popular and anime songs with Okinawa music by SAKAI on ukulele/guitar/vocals and RINO on sanshin/vocals. 3:15 p.m., 4:15 p.m., 5:15 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade Nobuki Takamen Trio Jazz standards, jazz versions of Japanese popular and children’s songs, and Takamen’s original tunes. Sunday, April 25 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. | Osborne Garden Adam Fisher Adam Fisher sings his hilarious original animal songs, accompanying himself on the cello. Presented in partnership with FiveMyles 2 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade Mia, Okai & SeeYou Mia, Okai, and SeeYou perform traditional Haitian folk songs and drumming. Presented in partnership with Haiti Cultural Exchange 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. | Water Garden Shira Kobren Fresh off the release of her new album, Kobren offers an interactive, family-friendly performance of Jewish pop and rock. Saturday, May 1 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. | Osborne Garden West African Dance with Kotchegna Dance Company Dancers in elaborate masks and the explosive percussion of a corps of brilliant drummers bring to life the ancient stories of Africa’s Ivory Coast. Presented in partnership with Cumbe Center for African and Diaspora Dance 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. | Plant Family Collection Brownstone Jazz Ensemble Eric Lemons (bass), Marcus Persiani (piano), and Cleave Guyton (sax/flute) play jazz. 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. | Fragrance Garden Nannies’ Fairy Tale Writers with Musical Guest Presented in partnership with Brooklyn Public Library Sunday, May 2 Hourly from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade Mantra Percussion, loved. Every hour on the hour, Mantra Percussion performs loved., a site-specific sound composition for seven percussionists playing tuned metals. 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. | Plant Family Collection Keisha St. Joan and Her Ensemble Legendary song stylist Keisha St. Joan gathers her ensemble to share the joys of jazz and blues. Presented in partnership with FiveMyles 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. | Water Garden Joanie Leeds Singing Jewish and secular songs from her nine children’s albums, Grammy Award winner Joanie Leeds celebrates spring, New York City, and animals. Saturday, May 8 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. | Osborne Garden Bomba with Bombazo Dance Company Bomba, an exuberant dance executed as a conversation between drummer and dancer, celebrates Puerto Rico’s African roots. Presented in partnership with Cumbe Center for African and Diaspora Dance 2 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade Riva Precil featuring Monvelyno Alexis & Markus Schwartz Riva Precil and guests perform a fusion of Haitian rasin (roots), jazz, and African rhythms. Presented in partnership with Haiti Cultural Exchange 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. | Fragrance Garden Nannies’ Fairy Tale Writers with Musical Guest Presented in partnership with Brooklyn Public Library Sunday, May 9 1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m., 3:15 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade Brownstone Jazz Ensemble Eric Lemons (bass), Lafayette Harris Jr. (piano), and a guest artist to be announced play jazz. 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. | Lily Pool Terrace Sachiyo Ito and Company 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. | Osborne Garden Frank London Trumpeter Frank London of the Klezmatics is joined by Deep Singh and Ilya Shneyveys to play traditional and modern klezmer, with a spicy mix of Russian and Punjabi music. |
About Brooklyn Botanic Garden Photo: Bombazo Dance Company. Courtesy of artist Contact: communications@bbg.org |